Watch A Whole New Beast: Lockheed Martin, TATA Reveal F-21 Fighter Jet To Be Made In India

BANGALORE: US defence giant Lockheed Martin on Wednesday unveiled the F-21 multi-role fighter jet at Asia's biggest air show Aero India 2019, which will be manufactured locally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship program 'Make in India'.

The company, which had earlier offered its F-16 fighter, has claimed that the F-21 fighter jet is specifically configured for the Indian Air Force and will strengthen India's path to an advanced air power future, the firm said on the opening day at the Aero India 2019 air show in Bangalore.

The US defence firm will build the plane in collaboration with TATA Advanced Systems, the company said in a statement.

Specifically configured for the Indian Air Force, Lockheed Martin's F-21 provides "unmatched" 'Make in India' opportunities and strengthens India's path to an advanced air-power future, the firm said announcing the plan on the opening day at the Aero India 2019 air show in Bangalore.

Lockheed Martin had pitched its F-16 for a contract to supply 114 fighters to the Indian Air Force in 2018. More than 4,500 F-16s have been built since the aircraft first took to the air in 1974. Previous variants of the F-16 had retained the type's name, suffixed with 'block numbers' to denote modernisation of systems or initials to denote user.

If it secures the Indian Air Force contract, Lockheed Martin will build the F-21 in collaboration with TATA Advanced Systems. In 2018, Lockheed Martin had announced TATA Advanced Systems will build wings for all F-16s in service.